Railway car door structure



April 17, 1956 R. E. POWERS 2,741,807

RAILWAY CAR DOOR STRUCTURE Filed sept. 12, 1951 2 sheets-sheet 1 y/ ff. l A:

April 17, 1956 R. E. POWERS 2,741,807

RAILWAY CAR DOOR STRUCTURE Filed Sept. l2, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 .2l :anni

United States Patent RAILWAY CAR DOOR STRUCTURE Application September 12, 1951, Serial No. 246,256

13 Claims. (Cl. Ztl-23) The invention relates to railway rolling stock and more particularly to car side wall and door structure of the so-called refrigerator type in which the door, when closed, tits snugly in the door opening in the side wall, the door is in the general plane of the car side wall.

The main object of the invention is to make it possible to open and close the door readily by relatively few operations of a simple effective mechanism.

A more particular object is to move the front edge of the door into the door opening, when the door is being closed, substantially automatically by the manual manipulation of a single operating mechanism at the rear of the door.

Another object is to mount the door upon a single straight track extending alongside the car door.

Another object is to swing the forward edge of the door inwardly of the car by a pivoted link or toggle arm which is spring thrust into functioning position, irrespective of the attention of the workman, and thereby minimizing the number of parts to be manipulated by him.

These and other detailed objects as will appear below are attained by the structure illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure l is a side view of the middle portion of a refrigerator car embodying the invention.

Figure 2 is a horizontal section taken on the line 2-2 and drawn to an enlarged scale, the middle portion of the door being broken away and the door being in a fully closed position.

Figures 3 and 4 are similar horizontal sections showing the door in successive positions assumed during opening, and closing, movements.

Figure 5 is a vertical transverse section taken on the line 5 5 of Figure l but drawn to an enlarged scale, the middle portion of the door being broken away.

Figure 6 is a top view of a detail of one of the door mounting and closing mechanisms.

Figure 7 is a side elevation of the detail shown in Figure 6.

The car side wall 1 has the usual door opening delined by a front door post 2 and a rear door post 3, a sill 4 and a lintel 5. The door 6 includes a front edge member 7, a rear edge member 8, a bottom edge member 9, and a top edge member 1G. The upper and lower and rear meeting surfaces of the door and the door opening are outwardly from the inside of the car. The forward door post and door edge member flare inwardly of the car. The meeting surfaces are provided with well-known packing elements to more effectively seal the crevices between the door and the side wall when the door is closed.

A straight track or rail 11 parallels and is spaced from the side wall and is supported by brackets 12 on the car side sill 13. Carriages comprising shoes 14, 15 and rollers R are mounted upon rail 11 and the door is supported from these carriages by arms 16 and 17 near the front and rear ends of the door respectively. Arm 16 has a downwardly extending trunnion 47 journaled in the forward carriage and an upwardly extending trunnion 18 42,741,807 Patented Apr. 17', 1956 journaled in a suitable bracket 19 on the door. Arm 17 has a downwardly extending trunnion 20 journaled in the rear carriage and an upwardly extending trunnion 21 journaled in a bracket 22 on the door.

The upper part of the door is guided from a depending track 23 mounted on the side wall. Arms 24, 25 have depending trunnions 26, 27 journaled in brackets 28 on the door and have upstanding trunnions 29, 30, respectively, mounting grooved shoes 31, 34 which slide ontrack 23. Trunnions 18 and 26 are in axial alignment but are not connected to each other. Trunnions 21 and 27 are in axial alignment and iixed to the lower and upper ends respectively of an operating shaft 32 which is journaled in brackets 33 on the car door. An operating handle H is pivoted at 35 to a short arm 36 on shaft 32 to swing vertically between the solid and broken line positions indicated in Figure l and may be locked in the lowered position by well-known latch structure.

Secured to rear post 3 opposite to trunnion arms 17 and 25 are dogs 37 extending outwardly and forwardly from the side wall. Each trunnion arm 17 and 25 has an inwardly and rearwardly extending linger 3S receivable behind dog 37 and holding the rear edge of the door in closed position as shown in Figure 2.

Pivoted on the forward trunnions 18 and 26 are links 39, each having a vertically disposed pin 40 at its outer end. A torsion spring 41, housed in each of trunnions 18, 26, is anchored at its ends to the trunnion and to link 39, respectively, and thrusts arms 16 and link 39 away from each other as indicated in Figure 6. Y

Mounted on the car side near the front door post and below the bottom and above the top of the car door opening at the level of links 39 are hook-like anchors 42 facing towards the rear door post and disposed to engage pins 40 as described below.

Operation: When the door is to be opened, handle H is disengaged from its latch, swung upwardly and outwardly away from the door and rotates shaft 32 and trunnion arms 17, 25 about their trunnions 20, 30 and pivots on shoes 15 and 34, the door swinging about its forward edge and fingers 38 sliding 0E of dogs 37 as indicated in Figure 3. to the right, accompanied by pull on the door handheld 43, causes the rear end of the door to move outwardly and rearwardly as indicated in Figure 4, and the door may be withdrawn from in front of the door opening without the necessity of the workman manipulating any other crank or operating shaft.

In closing the door, it is moved rapidly to the left along track 11 and during this movement pins 40 on links 39 will be swung away from arms 16 by springs 41 and will engage anchors 42 as the door reaches the position shown in Figure 4. Continued movement of the door along the track will swing its forward edge automatically about pins 40 and pivot the door into a position approximating that shown in Figure 3, its movement inwardly of the car being limited by the engagement of the upper and lower portions of the door with the sill and lintel, and the door front latches 44 will engage keepers 45 on front door post 2. Handle H is then swung to the left and towards the door, rotating arms 17, 25 about trunnions 26, 3? on their outer ends to move the rear edge of the door inwardly of the door opening and to move fingers 38 behind dogs 37 to force the door into closed position, as indicated in Figure 2. Handle H is then dropped and locked in dropped position.

With the structure described, the door, when closed, may be released and moved outwardly from the general plane of the car side by the manual operation of a single mechanism at the rear of the door and when the door is to be closed its forward edge is automatically swung into the general plane of the car side and is locked in closed Further movement of the handlel ing and Vthe rear edge of the door is swung into closed po-y sition and locked by the manual operation of the same single operating mechanism. The spring actuated link or' toggle armis always in,- position to yfunction as described without attention from the workman, who does not need to concern himself about the proper sequences of his actions except. to move the door to the left as far asvit will go and then swing handle H against the door and into locking position.

All the movable parts are simple in construction which tends to keep maintenance to a minimum and to avoid replacement due lto breakage, wear or accidental disassembly.

The. details of the construction may be varied without departingfrom the spirit of the invention and the exelusive use of Vthose, modifications coming within the scope of the claims is contemplated.

What is claimed is:

l. In a door construction Vfor a railway car having a sidewall with a door opening partly dened by front and rear door posts, into which. opening the door movesy when closed, .a track paralleling the side wall but spaced therefrom, carriages traveling along said track,` horizontal arms near theV door front and rear edges, eachhaving a vertical trunnion on the door and a vertical trunnion on one.V of the carriages and supporting the door fromthe carriages, an anchor on the car side wall facing towards the rear Ydoor post, and a link having a vertical pivot on the door near the front edge thereof and extending to- Y wards the rear edge of the door, a spring mounted on' the door near saidl link and thrusting the swinging end of said link away from the inner face of the door, said link swinging end being shaped to automatically engageV said anchor, as the door slides towards the. front door post,4 to provide a pivotV about which the front edge of the door may swing into theV door opening.

V2. A railway car door structure as described in claim l which includes a hook-like dog near the rear door post projecting from the side wall and facing forwardly and inwardly of the door opening, a finger pivoted on the door engageable with Vsaid hook, when the forward end` of the door has been moved into the door opening, and a manually operable handle for swinging said linger to engage said hook tol move the rear end of the door into the door opening and to thrust the door against the Vdoor front and rear posts. Y

3. In a door construction for a railway car having `a side wallr with a door opening, partly defined by front and reardoor posts, into which opening the ldoor moves when closed, tracks paralleling the side wall but spaced outwardly therefrom above and below the level of the top and bottom of the door opening, shoes traveling along said tracks, horizontal arms near the door front and rc r edges, each having a vertical trunnion onthe door f' and a vertical trunnion on one of the shoes and supporting the door from-the lower shoes, anchors onthe car side wall above and below the door opening and facing towards the rear door post, and links near the top and the bottom of the door, each having a vertical pivot on the door near the door front edge wholly independent of the other link and extending towards the door rear edge with its outer end springapressed towards the inner face of the door and shaped Vto automatically engage the corresponding anchor, as the door slides towardsthc door front post, to provide a pivot about which the front edge of the door may swing into the 'door opening.

4. In a door construction for a railway car having a slide wall with a door opening, partly defined by front and rear door posts, into which opening the door moveswhen closed, a track below the level ofthe door opening andparalleling the wall but spaced therefrom, a carriage movable along said track, means automatically moving the front end of the door into the door opening as Ythedoor is Lniovedto-b'ringits front edgeadjacent to the frontdoor Y 4fl post an upright operating shaft journaled on the door near theV door rear edge', a support and guide arm nxed t and extending from the lower end of said shaft with its outer end having a vertical pivot on said carriage and supporting and positioning the door therefrom, a dog fixed on said side wall and extending outwardly therefrom and having an element facing inwardly of the car, a finger on said arm, said arm being rotatable by said yshaft about said pivot to engage said finger with said element to move the adjacent portion o'fthe door transversely of said .wall into said opening and to thrust theV door betweensaid posts.

5. In a door construction for a railway car having a side wall with a door opeming,` partly defined by front and rear door posts, into which opening the door moves when closed, a track below the level of the door opening and paralleling the wall but spaced therefrom, a carriage movable along said track, means automatically moving the front end ofthe door out ofthe door opening as the door is moved rearwardly from the door front post an upright operatingshaft journaledV on the door near the. door rearv edge, a support and guide armfixed to and extending from the lower end of said shaft with its outer end having a vertical pivot on said caniage and supportingand positioning the doorlther'efrom, a dog fixed on said side wall and extending outwardly therefrom` and having an element facing inwardly of the car, aiinger on said arm, engageable withsaid dog element to hold the door in said opening, said arm being rotatable by said shaft about said pivot toswing the rearedge of said door outwardly of the car about itsfront' edge and to move said finger from behind said element..

6. in a door construction for a railway car having a side wall with a door opening-partly dened by front and rear doo'r'post's, intowhich opening the door moves when closed, a' track below the level of the door opening and paralleling the wall but'spaced therefrom, Va caniage. movable along saidY track, an upright operating shaft journaled on the door near the door rear edge, means operable by rotation of said shaft to'move the rear edge of the door transversely ofthe car side andthe, front edge ofthe door, and a device for moving the front end of the door into said opening, automatically and independently of said means aszthe door moves longitudinally of the side wall towards closed position, said device comprisingv l a link pivoted on therdoor near its front edge and extending towards the door rear edge to swing transversely of said Wall, means' yieldinglyl thrusting the link inwardly of the car, and al1-anchor on said side wall engageable bythe swinging of said link as the door is moved alongside said opening.

7. A railway car door structure as Ydescribed in claim 3 which includes an upright operating shaft journaled on the door near itsrrear portion, arms fixed to and extending rearwardly from the upper andy lower ends ofrsaid shaft and having, vertical trunnions ont-heir rearwardV ends; shoes receiving said trunnionsV and slidable upon saidV tracks,

dogs. on the car side wall above and'below the level of the Y top and bottom of the door openingV and facing towards the door opening, elements on saidv armsengag'eable with said dogs and movable about said trunnions by the rotation of said shaft to thrust the rear edgeof the door into the door openingand to thrust the front edge of the door towards the-front door post.

8. In arailway car side door supporting and closing mechanism, anelongated door-supporting arm, an elongated link, means above the. level of the link for pivoting adjacent ends of the arm and linkvon a door, an` anchor, means for attaching the anchor to a car side, anV element depending fromV the swinging end'of the link for engaging the anchor, Yand a springassociatedvwith the arm and link and thrusting the swinging ends of the arm and link away frorneach other.

9. A railway: car side door closingmechanisrricorn-V prising an uprighttrunniommeansyfor pivotally mounting'V the trunmon upon adoor, an elongated link pivoted atene end to the lower part of said trnnnion and extending hori-` zontally therefrom, and a spring anchored to said trnnnion and link and thrusting the link angularly rabout the trunnion axis, there being an element projecting vertically from the swinging end of the link for engaging a cooperating stationary anchor on the car side.

10. A railway car door supporting and closing mechanism comprising a carriage for travel along a door-mounting track, a door support arm having a vertical pivot at one end on the carriage, an upright trunnion on the other end of the support arm, means for journaling the trnnnion on a car door, a link pivoted at one end to the trnnnion and extending horizontally from the trnnnion and having an anchor-engaging element at its swinging end, and a spring associated with the arm and link and thrusting the swinging end of the link away from the carriage.

1l. A railway car door supporting and closing mechanism comprisng a carriage for travel along a door-mounting track, a horizontally disposed door support arm, a first vertical trnnnion extending upwardly from one end of said arm to pivotally engage the door, a second vertical trnnnion extending downwardly from the opposite end of said arm and being pivotally engaged to said carriage, a horizontal link swingably mounted on one end of said iirst trnnnion downwardly of said support arm, a pin depending from the opposite end of said link, and a torsion spring engaging said lirst trnnnion and link for urging said link away from said support arm.

12. In a railway car structure, a side wall having a door opening and including front and rear door posts, a sliding door substantially ush with said wall, when closed, and having front and rear edges fitting against said door posts, a track paralleling the side wall but spaced therefrom, a carriage traveling along said track, an anchor member mounted on the car side wall and opening toward the rear door post, a horizontally disposed support arm, a rst vertical trnnnion extending upwardly from one end of said arm and pivotally engaging said door adjacent the front edge thereof, a second vertical trunnion extending downwardly from the opposite end of said arm and pivotally engaging said carriage, a horizontal link swingably mounted at one end on said first trnnnion downwardly of said support arm, a pin depending from the opposite end of said link, and a torsion spring engaging said rst trnnnion and link for urging said link away from said support arm and toward the door for engaging the anchor whereby upon closing movement of the door the front edge thereof will pivot about said engaged pin into abutment against the front door post.

13. In a railway car door supporting and closing mechanism comprising a carriage for travel along a doormounting track, a horizontally disposed door support arm, substantially vertical trunnions at opposite ends of said arm pivotally engaging the door and the carriage, respectively, a horizontal link swingably mounted at one end on the door end of said arm, a substantially vertical pin on the opposite end of said link, and a torsion spring carried by the trnnnion at the door end of the arm and engaging said arm and link and thrusting said link away from said ami into an anchor-engaging position.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,160,844 Dwyer June 6, 1939 2,280,232 Haseltine Apr. 2l, 1942 2,481,590 Haseltine Sept. 13, 1949 2,534,443 Haseltine Dec. 19, 1950 2,571,215 Dath Oct. 16, 1951 2,583,646 Haseltine Ian. 29, 1952 

